StephendeBlois, King of England was born circa 1096 at Blois, Berri, FranceG.3,4 He was the son of Stephen II Henry, Comte de Blois and AdeladeNormandie. He married Matilda, ComtessedeBoulogne, daughter of Eustache III, ComtedeBoulogne and MaryofScots, before 1125 at Westminster, London, EnglandG.5 He died on 25 October 1154 at Dover Castle, Dover, Kent, EnglandG, from a heart attack.6 He was buried at Faversham Abbey, Faversham, Kent, EnglandG.6 He gained the title of Count of Mortain before 1115.4 He succeeded as the 11th Duc de Normandie in 1135.7 He succeeded as the King Stephen of England on 1 December 1135.4 He was crowned King of England on 26 December 1135 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, EnglandG, and styled 'Rex Aglorum Dux Normannorum.8' He was deposed as King of England on 10 April 1141.5 He succeeded as the King Stephen of England on 1 November 1141.5 He was crowned King of England on 25 December 1141 at Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, EnglandG.5 The rightful heiress to the crown of England was Henry I's daughter Matilda but at the time of Henry's death she was with her husband in Anjou and Stephen was the first to reach London and successfully claim the throne. Matilda or Maud, as she was also known, disputed Stephen's claim. Matilda's illegitimate half brother the 1st Earl of Gloucester rebelled, and civil war broke out in 1139 when Matilda invaded. In April 1141 hostile troops seized Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln but in November exchanged him for Gloucester who had been imprisoned by Stephen's supporters. Stephen then regained much lost power and in 1148 Matilda left England. Upon Maud's death, her son Henry Fitz-Empress continued the challenge. While the dispute continued, Henry married the divorced wife of the French King. This gave him great power as his wife was, in her own right, a reigning Princess. Stephen had married Matilda of Boulogne and hoped that their son Eustace would succeed him, however Eustace died and in 1153 at Winchester, Stephen reluctantly declared Henry Fitz-Empress as his heir. He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.9